


Joyous and Trembling

by whiteraven1606



Series: Three [13]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Clothed Sex, Culture Shock, Dehumanization, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dreamsharing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Force Ghosts, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Nonverbal Communication, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Stormtrooper Culture, Threesome - F/M/M, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 11:36:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6373174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteraven1606/pseuds/whiteraven1606
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin figures out why his grandson isn't listening to him even though he can hear him. Meanwhile, Leia agrees to allowing blaster tag and Luke has a panic attack. He won't let anyone blame the tiny ex-Stormtroopers, because he knows it wasn't really their fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Joyous and Trembling

*****

Poe flopped onto their bed face down. "I can't believe my life."

Finn snickered and sat on the edge of the bed to strip off his boots. "You can't believe _your_ life?"

Rey crawled over Poe all elbows and knees to check on her plant. "I'm pretty sure Finn has a point."

Poe groaned into the bedcovers he was laying on. "You're no help." He rolled and heaved Rey off his arm. " _And_ you are heavy."

Rey giggled as she gracefully twisted into a sitting position. "The plant didn't die."

Poe sat up and touched the plant's pot. "I told Kann to watch out for it and we weren't gone that long."

Finn flopped backwards and reached out to touch Poe's back. "Feels like it was a long time."

"Yeah." Poe shifted so he was laying on his back between them. "I really want to bundle them all up and never let them out of my sight again."

Rey stroked Poe's hair back from his forehead. "You know you can't do that."

"I know. Doesn't mean I don't have the desire."

Finn tucked himself against Poe's side. "I never expected Phasma would be plotting to overthrow the Supreme Leader."

Poe shifted them around to get an arm under Finn to wrap around his back. "She is a piece of work, Buddy."

Rey leaned forward and ran light fingers across Finn's cheekbone out to his ear. "I like her."

Finn turned his head and kissed Rey's fingertips. "You would."

With a grin, Rey tugged lightly on the tip of Finn's ear.

Poe smiled at them and offered his free arm for Rey to lay on. "Come here."

Rey sighed as she snuggled down next to them. "Okay?"

He kissed the top of her head and then turned and kissed Finn's temple. "We're okay." Poe let himself enjoy their company for several long moments. "We haven't really gotten a chance to talk about this."

Finn scooted his hand down to tuck under the hem of Poe's shirt. "Do we need to talk?"

"If you are about to tell us we have choices other than you I'm going to pinch you." Rey slipped her hand under Poe's shirt to rub small circles on Poe's chest.

Poe opened and closed his mouth. He frowned and pulled them both tighter to himself. "No, I just...Names are important and you both are using Dameron, which is fine. Don't take it wrong. I just don't know if either of you know what it means to other people that you've taken my last name."

Finn dug his chin into Poe's chest. "It means we're squad. We talked about this over Kaleine's old base."

"We were interrupted before we got much of anywhere, thank you."

Rey leaned up on her elbow to look down at Poe. "Are you okay with us taking your name? We're...happy." She squinted at Finn. "A little...worried? Happy though. Lots of happy." She grinned down at him.

Poe couldn't help but smile back. "I'm fine with it. I just didn't want to impromptu marry us without knowing how you wanted me to explain it to Pava."

Finn rolled his eyes. "She already knows. She's the one that started the pool for pregnancy scares for Rey."

Rey sat up. "What? I've had my shot, thank you very much. It was four days worth of rations to get the long term one."

Poe pulled her back down. "That's why I had Snap bet on you not having a scare, love."

Rey huffed against Poe's chest. "You bet on me."

"More _for_ you, but, yeah."

Finn stroked his hand down her arm. "Betting is just a form of gossip for them, Rey."

Rey hummed and pushed down on Poe's chest with her hand. "Fine. As long as you share the winnings."

Poe gently flicked one of her hair knots. "Of course." He ran his fingers down her spine. "Want to show Finn your brush?"

"Ooooh. Let me find it." Rey rolled away.

Finn shifted to lean on his elbow. "Her what?"

Rey waved her brush at them. "Look! It's for hair."

Finn touched his own hair and looked at Poe.

Poe sat up and pulled Finn up to sit as well. "No helmet hair for her."

Finn grinned and shook his head as Rey crawled back over to them.

"Here." Rey held the brush out towards Finn. "Poe can show you." She eyed Poe. "I want that braid again. I liked it."

Poe took the brush and swayed with the bed's dipping as Rey turned around to present her back to them. "I'll teach Finn and then both your lovers will be able to put their fingers in your hair."

Rey snorted and settled her arms on her knees.

Finn licked his lips as he watched Poe tug loose Rey's hair ties. "Lovers?"

Poe eyed Finn as he spread Rey's hair out across her back. "Yes? I mean..."

Rey reached back and touched Finn's knee unerringly. "Lovers."

He blew out a breath and nodded at Poe. "Yeah." Finn touched Rey's hair carefully. "Okay. What do I do?"

****

Rey relaxed little by little as Poe showed Finn how to make the braid. She'd not mentioned Poe's emotions, but she could tell he was very proud and happy they were using Dameron for their last names. 

She picked at the blanket under her as Poe made Finn take the braid out and start it over. She tilted her head and tried to figure out how best to share her happiness with them. She didn't want to scare Poe or make him uncomfortable. Finn seemed only vaguely aware of others' emotions. Rey wasn't certain he even realized what he was doing with the Force.

She waited for them to tie off the braid again and turned to flop on top of them. They went down under her in a laughing heap. Rey kissed the under side of Finn's jaw and looked at Poe. Rey bit her lips and framed the side of Poe's face with her hand. "Could we have sex now?"

Finn choked as Poe sat up sputtering. Poe pulled her in close as Finn's emotions flashed to being worried and scared. 

Rey buried her face against Poe's neck. "Sorry."

He tugged lightly on her braid. "Hey. No. You were just a little blunt. Caught me..us off guard." He shifted her to be in between them. "Don't apologize." He ran his fingers lightly along her hairline. "What exactly do you want to do?"

Rey shrugged as Finn tucked his face against the point of her shoulder. "I...don't have a plan."

Poe's expression shifted to considering. He cupped Finn's shoulder. "Finn?"

Finn shook his head. "I'm fine."

Rey huffed and poked Finn in the center of his chest. "You lie badly."

He shrugged as he gave her his best grin. "I bluff well though."

She smiled as she shook her head at him. "Han knew all along." She turned towards Poe. "You have a plan?"

Poe slipped his hand across the back of her shoulders to touch Finn. "I say we start off slow."

Rey bounced a little and started to turn back towards Finn.

Poe caught her by the shoulders. "Little slower than that, Rey. Clothes on for now. How's that sound?"

She nodded as Finn's emotions began to settle. "Yeah." She ducked her head. "Sorry."

Poe flicked the braid out of his way to kiss the back of her neck. "Don't apologize, love."

Finn squished himself against her side. "Yeah. I'll be alright with both of you."

Rey shivered as Poe kept his mouth on her neck. "Hmm." She ran her fingertips down Finn's arms. "Touch?"

He smiled and brought his hand up to frame the side of her face. "Yes." He leaned in and pressed his lips to the edge of her jaw. "Please."

She wrapped one hand around his forearm to keep his hand on her as Poe shifted to snug tighter to her. She ran her free hand down Finn's side to pull on his hip, trying to get him closer. She needed them with her.

Poe wrapped his arm around her and rested gentle fingertips on her neck just below Finn's hand. He kept kissing along her neck.

Rey squirmed as she moaned softly. She turned her head to catch Finn in a kiss. She shivered as Poe pulled back to watch them.

Poe ran fingertips down her chest to rub at her through the layers of her clothes.

Rey broke away from Finn to gasp.

Finn watched with wide eyes as she rolled her hips.

Poe kissed her neck again and Rey tilted her head to let him have more room.

She hummed under her breath as their emotions rolled through her to mingle with her own. "So happy."

Finn cupped his hand over Poe's on her. "Yeah?"

Rey nodded and pulled his hand down as she lifted her chin. "Oh, yes."

Poe chuckled and pulled his hand out of Finn's way. He shifted them and hugged Rey back into his embrace.

She could feel how hard he was. Rey restrained herself from reaching to feel Finn by a hair's breath. She kept one hand on Finn's shoulder and the other hand skimming up and down his arm as Poe ran his fingers along the hem of her shirt.

Rey let herself relax her hold on her connection to the Force as Poe started to rock his hips. He gasped lightly and bit down on her neck. Rey shivered harder as Finn matched Poe's bite with his own nip to the other side of her neck.

"Rey."

She tried to focus, but they were scattering her concentration.

Finn moved to pin her down with his own body. "Easy, Rey."

Poe whimpered into her skin and suddenly Rey could feel just how much she was projecting at them. She pulled back into herself with a wrench that had Finn clutching at her hip and digging the fingers of his other hand almost into her even through the damp layers of clothing separating them.

Poe pulled her tight to himself. "You're...okay."

She shook her head and pulled the braid out of the way so Finn could kiss along the top of her shoulder. "I...want..."

Poe ground against her. "Yeah."

Finn kissed her and turned her head towards Poe. "He...is alright...Rey." He panted against her neck as she and Poe kissed.

Rey pulled back and licked her lips as she tried to decide what to do through the haze of feelings swirling through and around her.

****

Poe kissed Rey again as she looked so young and uncertain for a few moments. "Come on, love. You can relax." He ran his fingertips along Finn's erection. "Feel how much we want you."

She shivered between them and bit her lip as she slipped her hand under her waistband.

Finn blinked and leaned up to be able to watch as Poe kept his hands roaming across their heated skin.

He could feel when Rey let her Force connection wrap them up again. Suddenly he wasn't just _him_ he was _them_. It was as glorious as it was terrifying. Poe rolled his hips and rubbed his thumb along the hard line of Finn's shaft.

Finn let his head fall forward to rest against Rey as he kept his hand over hers with her clothing the only thing separating them. His hips jerked with every little movement of her fingers on herself.

Poe could feel it as she edged them all closer, but the closer they got more Finn felt...off. Poe cupped the back of Finn's head. "Buddy."

Finn moaned lightly and jerked harder to a fierce twitch of Rey's fingers. "Yeah?"

"Finn."

He turned his head to squint across Rey at him. "Poe?"

Poe smiled wide and pulled Finn into a kiss. Under them Rey tensed up as she practically shoved them all over the edge.

****

Finn flopped down and he could feel his muscles twitching involuntarily as Rey kept her fingers moving on herself, little noises escaping her, as Poe shuddered against her. He stared up at the ceiling as Rey's emotions echoed through him. He reminded himself he didn't need to swear his loyalty to the Order here.

He reached out and smiled as Poe caught his hand to bring them together on Rey's stomach as she finally stilled her fingers.

She rolled and curled up between them. She turned her head to pant into the bedcovers. "I..."

Poe kissed her neck just below her hairline. "I'm fine." He looked at Finn. "You?"

He licked his lips as he double checked his own mind. "Yeah." He smiled happily and tucked a stray hair behind Rey's ear. "Liked it."

Rey hummed and turned her head just enough to kiss his fingertips. "Less clothes next time?"

Finn giggled as Poe swatted Rey on the bottom.

****

There were few things in the galaxy that annoyed General Hux more than being locked out of his own quarters. He punched in his code and frowned as it failed _again_. He tried all zeroes, which normally worked for doors when the Code Six was malfunctioning, but his door stayed stubbornly closed.

General Hux turned and stomped down the corridor towards the bridge. His ship...his Lord's ship needed repairs...guidance. He ignored the huddle of officers around the navigation computer as it just meant they were still unable to unlock the console. 

He strode purposefully over to Flight Control and stopped beside the most junior technician. "Has there been any word from Captain Phasma?"

The tech ducked their head, which made him want to strike them.

General Hux held his hand because he knew he was in control. Always in control. He took measured breaths as the leading Flight Control officer moved to report.

"Sir, it appears Captain Phasma's transport has been destroyed."

He blinked and swallowed. "Destroyed?"

"Yes, sir."

General Hux nodded and turned on his heel. He strode from his bridge...his Lord's bridge to the conference room she favored...had favored. He dropped to sit and flicked the console to give him the report on the transport.

He read through the report before switching to the ship's status report. General Hux frowned as all the problems scrolled across the screen. The Code Six remained stuck on asking a question no one admitted to ever having seen from it before.

General Hux had no idea why the Code Six was requesting a name. All the Code Sixes used the data stream from Boost's recording of the Repeating Roll to decide the base number for the encryption's algorithm that made all their codes automatically.

The Code Six should only change a code when a new one was requested or when the Repeating Roll changed, which would change the base for the encryption. When the Code Six malfunctioned the codes all reverted to all zeroes so access wasn't cut. At least that was how it should work.

General Hux made his way across the berth of the ship to reach the Code Six. "Report!"

The Stormtroopers huddled around the Code Six's console snapped to attention. "Sir!"

The highest ranking Trooper held their salute. "General, the Code Six is still asking for a name."

He nodded and stepped up to the console. He typed in his own name.

The Code Six made a series of squealing noises and reloaded the screen. 

_Name?_

General Hux's comm beeped. He frowned as he answered it. "What?"

"Sir, the hyperdrive has gone off-line."

He mentally groaned as he remembered the fatal mistakes made with other Code Sixes. "Fix it." He missed the solid presence of Captain Phasma acutely as he considered his options.

"Yes, sir."

Turning towards the Troopers, General Hux flapped a hand at the Code Six. "Find whoever spent the most time around Boost and bring them to me."

The Troopers saluted and left to follow his order.

He turned back to the Code Six and narrowed his eyes as he stared at it. "I will prevail. I will."

****

JB-007 kept four paces behind Kylo Ren, two paces to the left, and kept his gaze forward as they strode through the hallways. He was happy none of the shorter Troopers had this shift as Kylo Ren was using every bit of length in his legs and it was all JB-007 could do to keep in step.

None of that helped him block out the glowing man following Kylo Ren down the hallway. Not that JB-007 ever really longed to be back on Starkiller Base, but he longed for it during this shift. At least there all he had weird happen was an odd voice telling him to check a trash compactor on his way to evacuate after he'd felt the need to leave the prisoner and his weapon behind. He stuffed down his lingering guilt at not reporting himself for that. It had been during a battle and losing equipment happened in battle.

JB-007 kept one eye on the glowing man as Kylo Ren turned another corner.

"You have family. You have people that _love_ you, Ben."

Kylo Ren snarled as he turned the next corner and picked up his pace.

JB-007 double stepped to catch up and he could feel the Trooper to his right starting to falter. They needed a break soon. Kylo Ren seemed to be going in a large circle around the compound. JB-007 considered the options to get them stopped in a way that wouldn't get anyone killed. Problem was, he didn't have any.

The glowing man glanced at the other Trooper, floated up a couple of inches from the floor, and flew fast to get alongside Kylo Ren again. "Ben, please. I know you can hear me."

Kylo Ren shouted and shoved through the glowing man into the corridor wall. He beat the wall with his fists for several hits before turning and slumping against the wall. He held his hand to his side and snarled as his other hand clenched and unclenched.

JB-007 grabbed the other Trooper by their closer elbow and pulled back a few steps in case Kylo Ren pulled his lightsaber. It had a long reach of the sabers he'd seen in person, but at least Kylo Ren seemed inclined to use it on consoles and not Troopers. At least serving under Kylo Ren was less dangerous than being near Lord Vader had been in that regard.

The glowing man looked at him and then moved back towards Kylo Ren. "You don't want to be like me, Ben. I was so wrong."

With another snarl, Kylo Ren stomped to the next door and disappeared through it.

JB-007 kept the other Trooper from trying to follow. "Knights of Ren. He won't be back out for a while. We wait here."

The other Trooper eyed JB-007 for a moment before nodding and taking up position at the side of the door.

JB-007 watched the glowing man pace the width of the corridor. He'd compared himself to Kylo Ren, but the glowing man wasn't garbed like any Sith that JB-007 had ever seen. Or even like the Emperor's Hands. He squinted when the glowing man stopped and turned to look at him. _At him._

The glowing man floated closer. "You can see me."

JB-007 blinked, but kept quiet, faintly grateful for the helmet that hid his face from view. He stood guard and waited as a good Trooper should. When shift change came, JB-007 gladly headed to his barracks to shed his armor for the few minutes he could be free of it to shower.

He ignored the glowing man silently watching him until he started to put his armor back on. " _What_?"

The glowing man sat down across from him. "You're an old Trooper."

JB-007 shrugged. "Nearly the last of the Clones, I think. Three, maybe four, more cycles before I'm deemed useless. What is it to you?"

"Imperial Trooper?"

"Once. No Imperial anything now."

The man nodded. "Think Kylo Ren is worse than Darth Vader?"

JB-007 couldn't help the snort. "What sort of question is that?"

"I take it that's a no?"

JB-007 rolled his eyes as he pulled on his leg armor. "Lord Vader was menacing from the moment you could hear his breathing. His cape made so little noise as did his boots unless he was stomping mad. He'd kill a Trooper for getting out of step with him on a bad day. So, no, glowing man, I don't think Kylo Ren is worse, for all that he strives for it."

The glowing man blinked. "Well, you'd think he'd listen to me if he was striving to be Vader."

"What?" JB-007 snapped clasps closed and frowned at the glowing man.

"What do you mean, 'what'?"

JB-007 stared at the man, then looked him up and down, before staring some more. "You don't look anything like Lord Vader."

The man blinked. "I don't look..." He looked down at himself. "Oh, well, rancor shit."

JB-007 snorted as the man disappeared. He turned a slow circle, but didn't find him lurking. He considered reporting himself, but, well, JB-007 had seen weirder in the past, and besides, he was close to the end of his useful life cycle anyway. No reason to hurry things along.

****

Zeroes frowned as Kaleine insisted on holding his hand even as she knocked on Master Skywalker's door.

Master Skywalker gaze was sharp as he looked them over. "Yes?" The glowing General Solo peeked over his shoulder at them.

Kaleine pulled Zeroes' hand as she leaned forward towards Master Skywalker. "Korro says not to let my fear decide my actions. If I teach you how to hide us then I won't have be exhausted."

Zeroes shook his head as the other looked at him. "Not what I meant. I was telling her not to let her fear of Kylo Ren dictate her actions and that exhausting herself to protect her platoon is a last resort."

Kaleine huffed. "That's what I said."

Master Skywalker knelt down. "Teaching me will take you several days, Kaleine."

She frowned. "No, it won't." She cocked her head. "Or am I not supposed to use that method? I thought since you know her that I could, but if it is still classified I'll just not sleep. I can go without for two more days before it becomes a problem."

"Two more..." General Solo reached over Master Skywalker's shoulder and put his glowing hand on the top of Kaleine's head. "Kiddo, you are explaining what you meant just now and then you are going to sleep. I don't care if it means you can't hide the base, but you will sleep, yeah?"

Master Skywalker smiled at Kaleine. "He's a General, so he outranks you, Kaleine."

She huffed. "I don't think it counts when he's dead." She used her free hand to reach out and grip Master Skywalker's sleeve. "I'm not supposed to talk about her, but you have a holo of her."

Zeroes could feel the tension bloom in the other adults. He gripped Kaleine's hand a little tighter. "Commander Poe said the woman is important to you, Master Skywalker."

"She is. Her name is Mara Jade Skywalker. She's my wife."

Kaleine pulled her hand from Zeroes' and gripped Luke's sleeve. "Then you know how she teaches and I can teach you."

General Solo ran his hand over Kaleine's head and cupped one of her shoulders. "Kaleine, what do you mean how she teaches?"

Kaleine frowned up at them and then turned to Zeroes. "You've been taught by her, right? I know Finn has, but he never talks about it, so I didn't think we were supposed to say. Tovin's new helper that only wants to talk to us about how living in the First Order made us feel said we don't have to talk about anything we don't want, so I thought..." She turned back to Master Skywalker. "Is Lady Jade teaching us bad?"

Zeroes shook his head when Master Skywalker looked up at him. "I don't know. I don't remember ever seeing her."

Master Skywalker took Kaleine's hands in his own. "Mara teaching you is not bad. I don't think Finn remembers her teaching him. How do you know she taught him?"

Kaleine bit her lip. "She's the one that said I could find him and he'd tell us how to get out. She had made us forget her, but after KN-0125 died, while I was crying I remembered her. We aren't supposed to cry, but I did, but I don't know exactly why." She shrugged her shoulders. "I found her while sleeping and she said I needed to get us out. The whole...platoon. Poe says to call us a platoon. I said I didn't know where to go or how to get out and she said to ask FN-2187 if I could live with him."

Master Skywalker nodded. "You got everyone out."

She nodded. "I fixed everyone's memory while I worked on Poe's mind once we started living here. No one was healing him and I asked her and she said I could as long as I didn't go inside him. She said that was not nice unless he invited me. Then she said I couldn't talk to her anymore because Kylo Ren would find her and she needed to be alive to save her husband." She blinked. "Oh. She meant _you_."

Master Skywalker blew out a long breath. "Yes, Kaleine, I think she meant me." He slipped his hands from hers and stood up. "Come in. I need to sit down for this."

General Solo slipped past them into the corridor. "I'll just go."

Master Skywalker flicked his robe back to expose his arms as he bent down to pick up Kaleine. "You just don't like Jedi things."

General Solo turned to walk backwards down the hallway. "Figure you might want to know how many of them Mara has taught, but maybe I'm wrong about that." He turned back around and continued walking. "And, I don't like Jedi mumbo jumbo. I got stabbed by a lightsaber. Wasn't very fun, Luke."

Korro started to follow General Solo, but Master Skywalker's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Come in, please, Korro. We need someone here just in case I don't react well."

Zeroes nodded and took a seat as the other two settled on the couch.

Kaleine clambered up onto the couch and watched Master Skywalker sit. "What do you mean not react well?"

Master Skywalker rolled up the sleeves of his robe. "I have defenses I'll have to let down for you to be able to get inside my head. It is hard for me and it will probably give me a headache."

"Oh." Kaleine cocked her head. "Should we take you to Medical if you get a bad headache? We wouldn't in the First Order, but Mad Jess insists we're not going to be hurt worse for seeking medical attention. Snap said it isn't a waste of resources and Jaydavi said Medical was much nicer here."

Master Skywalker rubbed his left hand over his beard. "Yes, Medical is fine. I might just need to sleep. We'll see." He nodded to her. "You'll feel a difference when I'm ready, alright?"

She nodded and peered at him as he closed his eyes.

Zeroes watched and kept himself from fidgeting out of long habit. Master Skywalker didn't move except for his breathing and Kaleine kept tilting her head from one side to the other every few minutes.

The blue and white droid that Korro knew was called R2 rolled into the room scanned them and rolled away again.

Kaleine straightened up and licked her lip.

Zeroes watched as she closed her eyes and a little frown appeared on her face.

Master Skywalker fell over sideways as Kaleine made a little hurt noise and slumped forward.

Zeroes sighed, checked their pulses and tried forced himself to call Medical. He got as far as opening the contact list, there it was right at the top, and all he needed to do was press the button. His fingers twitched, but he couldn't...He forced himself to breathe. 

Zeroes scrolled down and hit the contact for the Wookie. He didn't understand the questioning roar that answered, but he knew the Wookie understood Basic. "I'm Korro, one of the ex-Stormtroopers and we...I can't call Medical. I tried. I need help. I'm in Master Skywalker's quarters."

The Wookie's clipped roars and snarls sounded worried and the sounds of footfalls coming through the comm were fast enough for running.

Korro checked their pulses again as he clutched the comm in the other hand. "I'm sorry. I don't know your language. I've checked their pulses and they are breathing, but they fell over. Stormtroopers don't call Medical. Last time I did the Trooper was decommissioned because it was considered a waste of resources to help. I just...I can't. I'm sorry."

There was a pounding on the door and Zeroes left them on the couch just long enough to open the door. The Wookie wrapped him a tight embrace. He patted Zeroes on the back and moved to the couch. He picked up Master Luke and stood there looking at Zeroes.

Zeroes picked up Kaleine and followed the Wookie. He didn't have to think about following, it was simple, which is when it hit him that he'd thought of himself by his name instead of his secondary designation. Zeroes shook his head at himself for letting his thoughts wander as he followed the Wookie into Medical.

****

Kann peeked around the corner as the Force ghosts fought in the middle of the corridor.

"Why didn't you mention it? Do you know how much _time_ I've wasted yelling at him?"

"I can't think of everything!"

Noilo poked Kann in the shoulder. "What are they talking about?"

Kann frowned. "They're arguing about something the tall one did. Should we get Kaleine?"

_Let her rest._

Kann shivered. "Nevermind. The invisible one says to let her rest."

Noilo huffed. "I heard him." He scrubbed his hand over the top of his head. "Maybe we should wake up Master Luke. Kaleine says he's okay for Force things now."

Kann backed up as the Force ghosts came down the corridor towards them, still arguing with each other.

Noilo pulled Kann to one side as General Han appeared, glowing faintly, behind them.

"Hey, keep it down! You're going to give Leia a headache and I'll have to figure out how to kick your asses!"

The shorter of the two Force ghosts frowned at General Han. "We aren't inside her range, Han."

General Han put his hands on his hips. "Yeah, well, you're inside Luke's and he seems to pass or echo or something all Force-y things to Leia. And if it isn't him, it's Kaleine, or possibly even Rey. So. Knock it off." He jabbed a finger at the taller Force ghost. "Especially you. It pains her to feel you hanging around."

Kann tugged on General Han's faintly glowing pant leg. "Why does he bother her? We can keep him out of the base for the Princess General."

General Han knelt down and patted Kann's shoulder with a smile. "Nah, Leia wouldn't want you kids to exhaust yourselves doing that. He's Luke's and Leia's father, Anakin Skywalker. She just doesn't get along with him." He narrowed his eyes at Anakin. "For some very good reasons I'm not repeating in front of little kids."

Noilo rolled his eyes. "Oh. Anakin Skywalker. You're meaning the part where he was Lord Vader." He frowned at Anakin. "You don't look much like the holo of Vader though."

Anakin smacked the other Force ghost across his chest. "See?"

"I don't know what you want me to do about it at this point, Anakin."

"Knock it off." Han glared at the Force ghosts. "Do not make me figure out how to make my ghost blaster work on you two."

They both sighed and Anakin crossed his arms.

Kann tugged on Han's pant leg. "What's the shorter one's name? Kaleine will want a full report."

Han shrugged. "Don't know if he wants to be called Ben or Kenobi."

"Kenobi is fine." He knelt down and looked Kann in the eye. "How would you keep us out?"

Noilo frowned at him. "Force things aren't that hard to pick up. Each of you sound different in Force feelings so we could block you without blocking General Solo."

Kann nodded. "Wouldn't be hard. It'd take several of us to do what just Kaleine can do, but we could. We've practiced lots."

Noilo elbowed Kann. "We aren't supposed to mention it."

"They aren't going to mind. They never mind. We told Mad Jess about why not cleaning scares us and made Kaxvil cry and she just picked up a rag and started helping us clean. We'd have been beaten before. Kaxvil would have been back and blue, but here they're just going to ask questions and tell us we don't have to train if we don't want to. Snap even said we didn't have to do our math lessons."

Noilo clamped his hand over Kann's mouth as he looked up at the dead. "We're doing the lessons, promise." He frowned and refocused on Kann. "Just because Lady Jade taught us doesn't mean we are supposed to say. She made us forget on purpose."

Han frowned. "Lady Jade?"

Kenobi grimaced. "She really doesn't like being called that."

_Then you shouldn't have started calling her by it._

"I'm not good at coming up with fake names under pressure." Kenobi stood back up.

"Yes, I figured that out when you decided to go by Ben Kenobi and took my son to Tatooine."

Kenobi sighed. "Don't start with me."

Han shook his head. "No, no. Go back to the part about Lady Jade. Wait, wait." He knelt down and looked at Kann and Noilo. " _What_ was Lady Jade teaching?"

Noilo bit his lip. "It's classified."

Han closed his eyes as he turned his head slightly to one side. "Classified."

Kann nodded. "Yes, Lady Jade made us not remember, but Kaleine fixed it when we got here."

Han's eyes snapped open. "Fixed it?"

"Yes?"

Han grinned. "Think Kaleine can bypass the block to the Force on Finn?"

The children exchanged glances.

Kann frowned up at Han. "We thought he was locked on purpose."

Han shrugged as he made a face. "It was on purpose, but it seems like he can't unlock himself."

Noilo brightened. "Oh, no. Nobody can unlock themselves unless it is by an outside trigger."

With a nod, Han held out his hand towards Kann. "Yeah, sounds like Mara to me. Come on, kid. We need to go wake up Luke. Nearly shift change anyway. Why are you out this late?"

Kann took Han's outstretched hand. "It isn't late for me. I'm on fourth shift. My dinner is in two hours when everyone else has breakfast and then I go to sleep. Kaleine said Master Luke is going to train Rey and Finn this morning. Isn't that more important?"

"Nope. Trust me, kid. Luke is going to have small kittens when we convince Kaleine we can know what you learned that's classified. I'm going to bet him it's lightsaber fighting beforehand. Just squeeze my hand if it isn't so I don't lose credits."

****

Noilo shook his head as he watched them walk down the corridor. "How does he have credits to lose since he's dead?"

Kenobi shrugged. "I have no idea."

_He had a few credits in his pocket when he died._

Noilo nodded. "That makes sense. The mad pilot says we should always have enough credits to call Kes Dameron on Yavin Four from anywhere in the Galaxy. She said it was important we know we had a safe house." He looked up the the Force ghosts staring down at him. "What?"

Anakin cocked his head. "You hear Master Jinn?"

"Sure? He's invisible, not silent." Noilo started down the hallway after Han and Kann. "Why is that adults all think we don't know anything just because we're short? We figured out that most of the Command staff will tell Tovin things they won't tell us just because he's taller. Do you know why? Kaleine thought it was probably like the holonet and the age restrictions."

Kenobi settled his glowing robes around himself as he walked with Noilo. "Age restrictions?"

"Yeah. It wasn't a very good holo anyway. None of the adults we've met have taken off their clothes that fast with another adult unless they are far more drunk than the ones in the holo were."

Anakin choked and coughed on the other side of Noilo from Kenobi. "You...Please tell me someone has told you not to watch adult rated holos."

"Oh, yeah. The blue and white droid was mad about it and Poe asked Kaleine not to watch them." Noilo tilted his head up at Anakin. "Why did he ask? Kaleine says Poe is our commanding officer even though we don't have to call him Commander Poe unless we want to and commanding officers don't _ask_ things." Noilo frowned. "Maybe? They don't in the First Order, but we've seen it a lot here and sometimes orders are just worded as suggestions. It's very confusing."

Anakin lifted his hands. "Oh, no. I am not the one for being a father figure."

Kenobi reached across Noilo and grabbed Anakin's arm. "No better time than now to start."

Noilo huffed as they started bickering and neither one answered his questions. He left them behind to catch up to Kann and General Solo. As he reached them the background feeling of the platoon dropped away. Noilo gasped as Kann clutched at General Solo's hand.

"Hey, what's..." General Solo cocked his head. "Something happened to Luke." He frowned. "I hate the Force sometimes." His touch make Noilo's skin tingle. "Come one kids, stay with me. We need to check on Leia. I'm no good at this Jedi shit."

Noilo leaned against Kann as General Solo helped them down the corridor. Each step became easier, but Noilo's worry grew as the further they went without Kaleine's power touching him.

****

Poe stepped out of the fresher and ran his fingers through his still damp hair. The off-shift children were sleeping in their little log-like lumps across the floor. Korro's bunk was neatly made and empty. Poe almost hoped he'd found someone to share with, but he'd probably set himself a shift schedule that kept him up at night.

Poe started back towards their bedroom when all the sleeping children shot upright. Poe staggered into the wall next to him as Rey's flash of panic swept by. "What?"

The closest child turned towards him. "She's down."

They were all up and pulling armor from storage that Poe hadn't known they'd fit armor into and by the time Poe had his boots pulled on they were already up and out.

Rey and Finn emerged from the bedroom with Finn supporting Rey.

"Kaleine _and_ Luke dropped out of my senses at the same time."

Finn pressed Rey against Poe. "It hurts in the back of my brain, Poe."

Poe could almost feel the headache himself. "Yeah. Okay. Shoes. Get on shoes. I'll go find out what happened." He made it down the corridor and almost got ran over by BB-8 rolling fast towards their room. "Buddy."

BB-8 beeped frantically at him.

Poe nodded and pounded on Jess' door as he reached it. "Okay. Go tell Rey and Finn that they are in Medical. I'll get Jess and we'll wrangle the platoon." He pounded harder. "Jess!"

"What? It's kriffing _early_..." She squinted at him in the corridor's low light. "Two seconds." She leaned back into her room and snagged boots. She pulled them on as she followed him down the hallway. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Something knocked out Luke and Kaleine. Korro has them in Medical, but it railed up the platoon."

Jaydavi met them at the next intersection. "Something's wrong."

"Yeah. Help us herd the kids."

He nodded and fell in with them.

Poe found most of the platoon ranged around Phasma and the General. Most of them glaring little death glares at Phasma.

The General glanced from the children to Poe. "Is he alright?"

"In Medical. Whatever it was took Kaleine down too." He cupped the back of Kann's head. "Why are you glaring at Phasma?"

"She upset Kaleine and now Kaleine has stopped holding us together."

The General cocked her head. "Holding you together?"

Poe hauled Kann up onto his hip as Jess picked up Noilo. "I don't think she did anything. Right, General?"

"Captain Phasma has been talking to me, so I don't believe she's responsible for what has happened." She grimaced as she put a hand on the head of a child near her. "Let's go check on my brother and Kaleine." She looked at Poe.

"Korro got them to Medical. BB-8 didn't say more than that to me. I was busy..." He waved his hand at the kids.

She nodded. "Of course."

Jess pushed one of the children ahead of herself towards Jaydavi. "Everybody goes to Medical. I'm done coddling your fear. Everyone is getting a proper medical exam. Poe or I will sit with each of you. I don't care."

Poe nodded as a couple of the children turned their heads to check him. "Exams. I don't like the sound of 'holding us together,' Noilo."

Noilo frowned and shifted his legs to tightened them around Jess' waist. "I've felt you do almost the same thing with your squadron when you were fighting over D'Qar."

Poe rubbed at his neck as Kann leaned against him. "I'm not that Force sensitive. Luke said so when I was roughly your age, Noilo."

The General frowned. "What?"

"What?"

She shook her head. "He said your parents didn't want you to train..." She narrowed her eyes. "I will be having a talk with my brother." She turned to Phasma. "Please go check on Satine, Captain."

Phasma nodded and slipped past the children to reach the door.

The General spread her hands. "Everyone to Medical. Take it as an order if you need to do so. Move it."

Poe frowned, but decided he'd worry about it later and herded children to Medical.

****

Doctor Kalonia hadn't seen pure panic so plainly on display in a long time until Trooper Korro was carrying Kaleine into her Medbay. She took the child as Chewie laid Luke Skywalker down on the next bed over.

Korro hovered between the two beds as she worked to take Kaleine's vitals. "They were sharing information when he fell over sideways and she slumped right after."

Kalonia silently cursed Jedi and all their invisible powers. "Sharing information?"

"She was going to show him how to hide like she does."

She heard of Kaleine's power, but the basic scan from BB-8 for the child hadn't shown anything that would cause her to just fall over. The child's blood sugar was dangerously low. "Has she eaten?"

"Not enough since she stole the ship to come help us."

Kalonia frowned and pulled down a tray of supplies. She absently noted the flood of children into the room as she put in a line to give Kaleine a quick boost to get her awake to be able to eat. "Commander Dameron, I would appreciate if you would track their eating a little better."

Poe frowned and put down the child he was carrying, Kalonia noted it was Kann, the little girl that had blood typing matching Phasma and Finn. "She was refusing. I thought Satine got her to eat when we got back this afternoon."

The boy in Jess' arms wiggled until she sat him down on the end of Luke's bed.

Korro moved smoothly out of Kalonia's way as she shifted around the bed to start checking Luke. "Satine told me to sit with her because she hadn't eaten much. Kaleine wanted to teach Master Skywalker how to hide the base and they both just..." He waved a hand at Kalonia's two patients. "...dropped."

Kalonia rolled Luke onto his side and ran a standard scan while she watched Chewie quietly worrying in the corner. "I think she just pulled him down when she went. He scans fine." She turned to the room at large and mentally frowned. "What happened to the rest of you?"

Kann gripped the side of Kaleine's bed and stared up at Kalonia. "Kaleine quit holding us together. Mad Jess says you are going to give all of us an exam. Do they hurt here? Jaydavi said not really and Finn has said not at all, but we..." She hung her little head and her voice went low and slightly scared. "We weren't sure."

Kalonia wanted to tear apart the First Order and make them all sorry for making these little lives so scared of her. She crouched down to Kann's level. "Exams don't hurt. I do press on your stomach a little and that can be uncomfortable, but if it hurts you say. How about, once I've sorted out Kaleine, I show you an exam on Poe and then you can decide if you want one or not."

Kann's eyebrows bunched together. "Mad Jess said we had to, though."

"In medical things I outrank Mad Jess and I say you get a choice. I really want a scan of everyone. I'm worried about all of you, but I will not force any medical attention on any of you unless something happens." She motioned towards Kaleine. "Like this."

Kann nodded. "Makes sense." She moved over to Noilo and several other children gathered around and they started whispering to each other.

Kalonia side eyed Poe as he sidled up beside her. "Yes?"

"Don't joke during the exams. They don't always get jokes." He looked past her to Kaleine. "She's going to be okay, right?"

Kalonia patted Poe on the arm. "She'll be fine." She leaned in close. "You talk like they are going to agree."

"I think they will." He nodded across the room as Rey and Finn staggered in. "Check them first, though. I think it might have given General Leia a headache too."

Kalonia sighed and made sure to sneak a glance at the General while crossing the room to pull Finn and Rey over to beds. She noted the tightness around the corners of the General's eyes. "Okay, everybody find a seat. You included, General."

The General sighed as she sat down beside her brother's bed.

The children took the floor in little grouped squares that left her paths through to get anywhere in the room without stepping on them. Jess settled in one of the floor groups. Poe perched on the edge of the bed Rey and Finn were sitting on.

Kalonia alerted her nurses to come in early. She could hope the children would go to sleep from boredom, but considering what she'd heard they were probably going to do homework.

****

Kaleine frowned and stared around the sleep world for a moment before pulling on the light pool that was Master Luke. "Quit making light!"

The light wobbled sluggishly.

Kaleine looked around, but Poe's ship wasn't near and her platoon was...Kaleine sucked in a breath and started pulling on the light. They needed to hide. Her platoon was _missing_.

The light followed her slowly. Kaleine pulled harder and tried to make the light realize he didn't need to be _light_ to be him.

Slowly, laboriously, Master Luke took shape and the light faded.

"Oh, good. We need to hide. You were too bright."

Master Luke blinked and looked around the starfield. "Huh."

Kaleine dragged at him. "Now. Move now."

Master Luke swept her up into his arms and turned around on the spot. "Kaleine."

She pointed at the spot Poe's ship should be. "There. Poe's ship is there when he sleeps. He doesn't show up otherwise."

Master Luke moved them, carefully setting one foot in front of the other. "You had barely touched me."

"I don't know what happened. You were relaxed and sounding like Finn, so I reached out to shake hands like Lady Jade said to do for Jedi allies, but you went...no, I went sideways and suddenly I was _falling_."

"Hmm. I chased after you." Master Luke stopped moving. "I've never been solid here, Kaleine."

She wiggled until he sat her down. "Light can be solid." She made them a spot to sit on and urged Master Luke down onto it. "Here, sit."

He sat and gazed around them.

Kaleine huddled next to him and watched in the direction she knew lead to the First Order. "I knew the risks getting us out and I did it anyway."

Master Luke looped his arm around her back. "Yes, you were very brave."

"I wasn't brave. I was..." She frowned as she searched for the right word.

"Angry?"

"No. Yes, but, no." Kaleine gasped as a flare of harsh red darkness ignited far, far out towards the First Order. "I was determined. I'm scared of _him_ , but I'm terrified of the Supreme Leader because he found KN-0125 and he _hurt_ him so badly."

Master Luke wrapped himself around her as the red darkness moved. "Quiet."

She twisted the Force to hide them. "He isn't going to get my people."

"No, he isn't." Master Luke traced the lines of Force that made their location hidden. "Oh, you're making a pocket in the Force."

Kaleine leaned against him. "I'm so tired. I've been keeping everyone together and hidden and alive. I'm just so...tired."

Master Luke's power poured in beside hers. "Let me, Kaleine. I see how it works now. Rest, my little padawan."

Kaleine nearly cried as she let go of it all. "If the darkness comes this way make a flare off to one side. Left. Left, is best. Wears...them...out." The exhaustion clawed her under.

****

Luke snapped his eyes open and frowned up at Leia glaring down at him. He checked that he had the base hidden as it should be and felt for the platoon...Oh. That's what she'd meant by keeping them together. He'd not...No, no, he'd felt it when they'd been working together to hide when he first arrived, but he'd not realized that it included the whole platoon.

"Luke?"

He blinked and tried to smile at Leia. "I'm a terrible Jedi."

She rolled her eyes and laid a hand on the side of his face. "Kaleine's blood sugar crashed."

"That's why she slipped away." Luke pushed himself up and squinted at the platoon ranged around the room in little groups. "Everyone else?"

"Scared. All of them felt her drop." Leia frowned at him. "Luke."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I need to train them. We're training first thing tomorrow."

"Today."

He found a timekeeper on the far wall and it wasn't even breakfast yet. "Later today." He flopped back down. "Who's her second?"

Leia turned and picked up a child to sit between them on the side of his bed. "This is Noilo."

Luke shook hands with the dark skinned boy. "Hello."

He nodded. "Master Luke."

"She's been tying everyone together."

Noilo ducked his head. "Kaleine got really worried when we went to switch ships and we almost left Kanamar behind on accident because she doesn't talk outside of combat." Noilo glanced up through his eyelashes at Luke. "Kaleine made everyone a unit. We can move together and we know everyone's positions."

"Like a squadron that's flown together for a long time. You all know what to expect from the others."

Noilo nodded. "She did something that makes it hold even when she went to Corellia. She said she'd show me, but Satine came and we've been learning her Force blend with the wires instead."

Luke winced at Leia's glare. "Satine's been teaching you?"

"No." Noilo beckoned to another child. "This is Kann. She and Kanamar figured out how to copy what Satine does. They've been training Kaleine and me."

He patted Kann's hand. "Alright." Luke closed his eyes. He was so tired and he hadn't even been holding the defense that long. He was getting Kaleine a present first thing. "I'll deal with that later." 

He listened to Leia help Noilo down. She laid a heavy hand on his chest. "Luke, are you alright?"

He shrugged at his sister, because what was he supposed to say? "Rey?"

She appeared at Leia's elbow. "Master?"

"Feel what I'm doing with the Force?"

She frowned and slowly nodded. "You're holding Kaleine's hiding blanket, but you are clutching at it. That is going to wear you out, Master."

"Hmm." He squinted up at her. "Feeling up to holding it, Padawan?"

She smiled wide. "Yes, Master."

Luke felt the strain lift and he nearly gasped in relief. "Oh."

"Too much?"

He shook his head. "Fine. Let me know when you need a break."

She hummed as she turned away.

Leia frowned down at him. "Luke?"

"I'm just tired." He pushed himself back up and leaned back against his pillow. "She's terrifyingly strong, Leia."

Leia's lips thinned as she pressed them tight together for a moment before clasping Luke's hand. "We'll do better this time."

He tightened his hold on her. "We did as well as we could with Ben, Leia. You know that." He turned his head to look at Kaleine's tiny body lying in the next bed over. "But, yes, we'll do better this time."

****

Poe sat with each child as they let Dr. Kalonia do an exam. He soothed a couple of the kids when Kalonia wanted to check their lungs. He held one in his lap because they were shaking so hard.

Between children, Poe leaned his head back and breathed as Finn kept one hand on his shoulder. "I feel like I'm failing them."

Finn frowned at him. "Why? They...Poe, living here is the best their lives have ever been. Food, Poe. No one beats them. No one yells at them just to yell. They _love_ it here."

Poe covered Finn's hand with his own. "Yeah?"

"Yes. Trust me."

Poe nodded and watched the next child peeked in the door. "Hi."

She waved shyly.

Poe remembered her as the one that hadn't talked when he'd been giving them names. One of the others had pronounced it for her when she was done picking letters. K something, which was no help because a lot of them had names starting with K. "I'm sorry. I don't remember your name right off and my notetaker is back in my room."

Finn beckoned her in. "Kanamar, right?"

She nodded and clambered onto the exam table. None of them moved to help her because they'd figured out after the first three children none of the kids wanted help climbing furniture.

Dr. Kalonia rolled closer on her stool. "Hello. I'm Dr. Kalonia."

Kanamar nodded once and clasped her hands in her lap.

"Poe is going to have everything done to him first and then I'm going to ask if you are okay with me doing that step to you, understand?"

She nodded again and looked at Poe.

Poe smiled gently. He tilted his head as the doctor looked in his ear again. "Doesn't hurt. She's looking to see if I have a buildup of ear gunk."

Kanamar smiled and knelt up so she could see better. 

Poe held her trembling hand as Kalonia looked in her ears after getting a nod to go ahead. "What do you like doing best, Kanamar?"

Kanamar frowned and looked at Finn.

"Poe."

He turned his head towards Finn and got pulled back around by Kalonia as she shined that blasted light in his eyes again. He was going to have spots on his vision forever. "What?"

"She doesn't talk."

Kanamar hunched down.

Poe frowned as Kalonia froze. "How did I not know that?"

She rolled her little shoulders and breathed hard for a couple of breaths before she whispered. "Battles."

"Right, she talks during combat. Noilo said." Finn laid a hand on Kanamar's back. "Easy, Kanamar. I know they won't decommission you for being defective."

Poe forced himself not to snap at Finn. He knew...Poe rubbed his hand over his face. Of course, Finn wouldn't _know_ that she wasn't defective. "She isn't defective." He leaned around Finn to smile at Kanamar staring up at him. "You are you, kiddo. No one here is going to think you are defective just because you don't speak outside of combat."

Kalonia rolled closer. "I'd like to check your vocal chords anyway. Just in case you have medical condition, hmm?"

Kanamar rubbed her wide little nose and moved to sit against Poe. She nodded and took Kalonia's hand and put it on her neck.

Poe kept his hand around Kanamar's back as Kalonia felt along her thin neck. "Doesn't matter either way. You are safe here, okay?"

Kanamar nodded and put Poe's hand on top of her head.

Poe smiled as he stroked her tiny curls that were mostly fuzz while Finn kept his hand on her back.

****

Leia looked over Kalonia's report. "Seven-ish?"

"Best I have. They haven't lost teeth, but one has a loose tooth, though he didn't want us to know it. They could just be slow on that. A genetic scanner would tell me if I should worry or if they are younger than I'm thinking or if they are of stock that just sheds teeth later. It just depends."

"You're thinking seven. Han estimated ten. I was thinking maybe eight or nine."

"Given the hormone levels, I'm saying late seven-ish." She rubbed her temple. "General, some of them have healed breaks that would have me reporting their parental units to protective services. They are all, to a person, showing stress, but I can't tell you if that isn't just from dealing with me. The scans that BB-8 has brought me show less stress for the most part."

"Part and part then."

"Probably. One of the girls is a selective mute. One of the boys is showing signs of an eating disorder, but given what they've been through I'm just happy none of them are self-harming that I can identify. Kaleine comes closest, but that's mostly Jedi induced stress on her body from pushing herself too far."

Leia nodded as she scrolled through the list. "I still can't get them to not clean everything."

"I'm telling you, as my medical opinion, to let them clean."

Leia put down the data reader. "You think so?"

"They are adjusting better than anyone could hope for."

"One of the girls carries a pillow everywhere she goes on her off-shift time."

Kalonia sighed. "Not that I don't think Poe shouldn't have gotten them toys, but if the worst we see is the one horder of food and a pillow touter I say we're doing pretty good."

"Right." Leia rubbed the side of her face. "I just...feel like I'm doing everything wrong."

"You aren't. Dameron was worrying about how well he's handling them too. I think everyone needs a break. Something fun they can all do as a group."

"Blaster tag."

"What, General?"

Leia smiled. "They've been asking to play blaster tag." She rubbed her chin. "Is Kaleine up to that?"

"She just needed sleep and food. I released her mid-morning."

"Good. I'll tell Connix to let them know."

Kalonia trailed the General out of her office. "Blaster tag doesn't involve actual _blasters_ , does it?"

****

Finn looked over the huge room the General had cleared just for this. Empty crates ranged around the floor and there were a few chains hanging from the ceiling form when it had been a mechanic's workroom at one time.

Master Luke was waiting near him and Poe as the rest of the former First Order personnel filed into the room.

Kaleine grinned at him. "You're playing too, right?"

Finn nodded. "Yes, split up the platoon, please. We're going to use standard rules."

She nodded and zipped away.

Luke leaned over towards Finn. "Standard rules?"

"Oh, right. You've never played." Finn nodded towards the children. "No broken bones if possible. No just hiding to be the last standing. Grace of ten seconds coming back from the fresher. If playing with a protected person and they are stunned the stunned side loses right then. Blasters on stun at one-fourth power only. No rejoining the fight after being stunned. Last standing wins and gets extra rations for two days. Preparation time varies dependent on the setup."

Poe put his hand on Finn's shoulder.

Finn looked at him. "I don't know what we'll give the winning side since we can have all the rations we want here."

Master Luke narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure Leia will come up with something."

The General stepped over and bumped Master Luke's shoulder. "What am I coming up with?"

Finn turned towards the room at large. "We've got observers! If you hit the Princess General your side loses right then."

"You get to decide what the winning side gets." Master Luke pulled Leia towards the nearest wall. "Finn, I'm going to watch with Leia this first round."

Finn nodded. "Of course, Master Luke." He turned towards Poe. "Would you mind being a protected person?"

Poe eyed the blasters being passed out. "Which side?"

"Mine?"

Poe grinned. "Sure, Buddy."

Finn nodded. "Noilo!"

Noilo jogged up. "Kaleine said you are my side."

"Yeah. We have Poe as our protected. Would you ask Jess if she'd mind being the protected person for Kaleine's side?"

"Alright." Noilo hurried away.

Master Luke frowned out at the group splitting itself into two as Phasma approached them. "Finn? How are you telling the sides apart?"

Finn frowned at him. "Everyone just remembers who is on which side."

Phasma rolled her eyes. "They aren't used to remembering teams without a color indicator. Have you seen the atrocious things they call sports on the holonet?"

Finn grinned at her. "No, I've mostly been working on learning Binary so I can understand BB-8. You're playing, aren't you?"

Phasma tilted her head as she considered. "Kaleine!"

Kaleine hurried over. "Yes?"

"I think Finn and I should be opposing sides. If you would link me into your side, I would appreciate it."

Kaleine looked at Luke. "Okay? You still want us to use that? I thought you might be mad about it."

Master Luke shook his head. "I'm not angry, little padawan. Tell everyone to use their full abilities, but no hurting anyone else on purpose with powers, alright?"

She nodded slowly and glanced up at Phasma. "I lead?"

Phasma knelt down. "They are your Troopers, Kaleine. For this, I am one of them."

Kaleine smiled. "Good." She pointed at the far wall where her half of the group was forming up. "We get Jess for our protected person." She turned towards Finn. "Who's referee?"

"Master Luke." Finn glanced at Master Luke. "You can tell if someone cheats with the Force. Referee just yells if there's an infraction of the rules. You also decide who wins if there is contention over it."

He nodded. "Alright. How long does this go?"

Phasma snorted. "The record is four days, fourteen hours." She narrowed her eyes at Finn. "And you only stopped because the other side was about to dehydrate to death."

"Wasn't my fault they holed up in the one part of the simulation floor that didn't have a tap. I told them we'd give them water, but they insisted and they kept up enough fire that I didn't think we could take the whole compound."

"You could have sacrificed one of yours to get an opening."

"The whole point wasn't to lose my people."

"The point was to win."

Poe slipped between them. "Whoa, whoa. Enough of that." He pushed back on Phasma. "No teaching people to do suicide runs." He gripped Finn's arm. "Easy, Finn. You get to shoot at her in a few minutes."

Phasma snorted and turned towards the General. "You are actually allowing me a weapon? I thought I might simply be blocking."

The General held out a blaster to her. "It was Han's once. Don't lose it."

Phasma gave a bark of a laugh before cutting herself off. "I will return it unscathed, General."

****

Leia gripped Luke's hand tight as the start time approached. The two sides were hunkered down behind the crates they'd hastily rearranged. "This isn't how I thought your day would go."

Luke snorted as the start time slid past and...no one moved.

She frowned and exchanged glances with Luke. She watched the ones of Finn's side she could see all holding still. "You did say..."

There was a burst of movement and suddenly Leia knew what battles with Stormtroopers could have been like if they'd been fought by these fierce children with better accuracy than a good portion of her adults.

Then one of the children _bounced_ across the gap between two of the crates in a way Leia knew was Force-connected.

Luke sucked in a breath and suddenly they were _everywhere_ flinging themselves and each other across the room.

"Oh." Leia shifted closer to Luke as they just kept...fighting.

Blasters stun bolts and children flew all directions. Phasma was only holding her ground by using the Force. Finn was dodging fire and keeping his side focused on making Phasma's life difficult.

Luke frowned as Finn deflected a bolt away from Poe without even looking. Luke muttered mostly to himself. "He didn't even realize he just did that."

Leia gripped his hand tight as Kaleine lead an assault from one edge of the playing field. Phasma went down keeping a bolt from hitting Jess as Noilo took out several of Kaleine's assault group.

Finn charged the hole Phasma's absence caused and Kaleine hit him from the side just as Kann struck Poe from behind Kaleine.

Luke started to rise, but both sides just stopped moving.

Finn sat down heavily on a crate. "Good job."

Kaleine hurried over to Leia and Luke. "Did you see? Kann got Poe." She turned her head. "Oh." She ran across to where Poe was shaking his head. "Poe?"

Poe rubbed his shoulder that had taken the stun bolt. "I'm fine. Just a little numb. That was well done."

Kaleine beamed. "Can we go again?" She turned towards where Phamsa was sitting on the floor. "I want Finn this time."

Luke bumped Leia in the shoulder. "Good idea."

She leaned against him and touched her head to his temple. "I'm going to need to cry about them later."

Luke squeezed her hand. "Yeah."

Kaleine and Kann hurried up to him. "Want to play now, Master Luke? The Princess General can be referee, can't you?"

"Yes, I'll play if Leia doesn't mind refereeing."

Leia nudged him. "You should make him a side all his own."

"Hey."

Kaleine tilted her head. "There's rules for that, but I figured maybe we should wait for Satine and have her against Master Luke."

Luke snorted. "More like her against everyone else."

Leia gripped his elbow. "Luke."

He rolled his eyes. "Kidding."

Leia shook her head at him because they both knew he'd not really been kidding.

Kaleine took his hand and pulled him towards her side. "We get Finn and Kann, we gave Kaxvil to Noilo, but we got Kariya in exchange so that'll be even better. She can dodge really well."

Luke was sure he wasn't going to be able to tell the teams apart, but just before they were to start Kaleine stilled next to him and a moment later he was part of their team.

Part and apart. He was still _him_ and none of them were intruding on his own mind, but he also knew where each one was, who was hungry, who was sore from this or that fall, he could see the playing field through all their eyes, but only as though they were his own eyes.

Luke felt the start time slide by, but they were waiting because there wasn't a proper opening yet. Well, now there was because Luke pointed it out. If you can ignore gravity you can do _this_. A moment later Kaleine and three other children had bounced off the ceiling and down into the other side's center, hitting several of the children and their protected person, Jess.

The sensation of being _team_ dissolved and Luke blinked as the children gathered together chattering about the fastest win they'd ever known.

Phasma was staring at him and Luke felt very exposed all of the sudden. She had Old Ben's piercing gaze, that was for sure.

Luke was trying to decide if he should slip back over to Leia when the children turned practically as one and mobbed him. He dropped down to sit on the floor as the children surrounded him and asked for more tactics. And could they do such and such. And did Luke think it was worth the loss to use Force levitation as a distraction. He lost track of the threads of conversation very quickly.

Finn waded through the children to reach him. "Master Luke?"

He shook his head because they were too loud, too much. "I..."

Poe was suddenly in his face, but Luke still felt like he couldn't breathe. "Luke, up. Come on."

Just as fast as they'd mobbed him, the children were silent and far enough away that Luke on longer felt like there was no air.

"Sorry." He leaned against Poe and kept his face turned away from everyone.

"It's okay." Poe handed him off to Leia, who wrapped him in her formidable strength.

"Luke, just breathe."

He followed her where she lead and found himself on a bench amongst plants in short order. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Leia rubbed at his back. "You had a panic attack. Was it the children?"

He buried his face in her shoulder. "I feel everything more strongly now. Just...it is too loud sometimes."

"I've never seen them chatter like that, Luke. For just a moment it was marvelous."

"And then I ruined it."

She flicked him in the back of his shoulder. "I wouldn't say ruined. They started right back up at Finn, but it was all about you and if you would be alright."

"Hmm." Luke pulled himself away from her and leaned back against the wall the bench was set against. "They need to play blaster tag more often."

"Once a week, maybe?"

He nodded. "Might give Poe enough time to heal any soreness in between."

Leia smiled. "Still don't know what I'm going to give them."

"Bedtime stories?"

With a laugh, Leia shook her head. "Oh, no. Kaleine was very dismissive of bedtime stories." She rubbed Luke's shoulder. "They remind you of them, don't they?"

"A little." Luke sighed and leaned into her just enough to ease some of their shared pain. "The children lost are always going to echo in the children still alive. I see the ones standing before me. I just...I was never one for huge crowds and now...now I feel so out of place outside of a Jedi Temple sometimes. I think...No, I feel like I turned a wrong corner and I'm lost without a way home."

"Oh, Luke." She squeezed his shoulders. "You fake calm too well."

He snorted.

"Still doesn't solve my dilemma about what to give them."

"Teach them sabacc?" Luke snickered even as he said it.

Leia poked him in the ribs. "That's a terrible idea."

"Life lessons."

Luke and Leia both turned as one to find a faintly glowing boy watching them from the end of one of the plant rows.

Luke recovered first. "What do you mean?"

"Expressions and touches. We don't know what they mean sometimes. Hugs. You could give them hugs." The boy shifted his glowing blaster in his hands. "Kaleine won't say, but she can't read because the letters are moving on her." He turned away. "She'll be here soon." He walked through the nearby wall.

Leia rubbed at her eyes. "You saw him, right?"

"Yes, heard him too. You heard him?"

"Yes." Leia leaned against Luke. "I'm going to have to talk to Kaleine. Not reading is really bothering her."

"Oh." Luke grinned. "Holonovels and holocomics. They'd devour them."

"Oh. Good idea."

There was a knock on the door leading to the corridor.

"Yes?"

A trooper stuck their head it. "General, Jaydavi is asking if anyone is allowed to join in on blaster tag?"

Leia sighed. "Put it on the schedule for once a week. Anyone can join if they are willing to follow the rules." She looked at Luke as the trooper nodded and shut the door. "We're going to need a bigger room. You realize the entire base is going to want to get in on it."

"Yeah." Luke pushed himself to his feet. "Come on. They are going to need referees."

****

Luke leaned against his closed door and heaved a sigh at the glow of a Force ghost coming from the next room. "Go bother my sister, Han. I'm _tired_."

Luke gaped as Master Kenobi stuck his head through the door.

"I'm not General Solo, also, did you know that atrocious tea of your sister's is something I can _smell_? I'm dead. I shouldn't be smelling anything."

Luke moved to the couch and sank down onto it. "What are you doing here, Ben?"

"Meddling. Fussing. Trying to help you. You know, the usual." Master Kenobi settled on the edge of the chair across from Luke. "Have you had any Force visions lately?"

Luke started to shake his head, but then he stopped and frowned. "Possibly. I get a feeling of grave foreboding whenever I start to consider where my wife might be. Know anything about that?"

"No." Master Kenobi leaned back. "I was meaning more along the lines of the one that sent you hareing off across the galaxy again."

"Again?" Luke shook his head. "Master, I have thirty-three people, counting Finn and Phasma that could become Jedi. All of them are at least partly trained by my wife and then made to forget it, but partly because of a roughly seven year old child, who has to be the most powerful Force user in the galaxy right now, most of them not only remember, but can knock each other silly by linking up into a group effort I've never seen before. Never even heard of it, but you're worrying about the possibility of a Force vision?"

"Hmm." He crossed his arms. "Luke, the first Force vision where I was dead came as a bit of a shock. I was...fourteen. Maybe fifteen. I don't remember. Point is, I went to my Master about it and instead of him saying, no, no, Obi-Wan, it's just a dream, he said tell me exactly what you saw in a gravely serious voice."

Luke frowned. "Okay."

"He was the first to figure out how to still _be_ after death. Didn't get the ghost bit, but he can make himself heard."

"Like you talking to me on Hoth."

"Yes, like that. It took me a while after death to become properly visible. Took Anakin dying to figure out how to look a different age." Kenobi leaned forward and put his forearms on his knees. "You can't ignore Force visions, Luke. Trust me when I say, no matter how terrible they are you need to listen."

Luke ran his hand over his beard. "Master..."

Kenobi sighed. "Luke."

Luke rubbed the joints of his left hand with the metal tips of his right hand's fingers. "I know the risks of misinterpreting a Force vision, thank you. Now would you please explain why you have broken every genetic scanner on this side of the galaxy?"

Kenobi blinked. "Oh, well, _I_ didn't do that."

****

Satine smiled as Phasma sat down on the end of her cot. "Told you that you'd like the food here better."

Phasma rolled her eyes and turned towards the Code Six. " _This_ was what Skim was bringing you?"

"Bringing to Finn, but yes." Satine sat down next to Phasma and leaned against her. "I need you to set my alternate encryption."

Phasma frowned down at her. "You said never to do that."

"In enemy hands, yes." She poked Phasma's arm. "You're Resistance now."

With a huff, Phasma reached out and touched the Code Six. "Yes, I know and it is terrible." She patted the Code Six's casing. "Also, wonderful, but do not tell them I've said that."

Satine smiled at her and nodded towards the Code Six. "There's only one name left."

Phasma sighed. "Why did you kill me on the List? I need to be with the fleet."

"What as no Trooper ever done before?"

Phasma raised her eyebrows. "What?"

With a smile, Satine stroked the top of the Code Six's casing. "Troopers die, but they never come back from being dead."

Phasma covered her face with her hands. "I am surrounded by insane people."

Satine patted her on the shoulder. "At least that hasn't changed, hmm?"

****


End file.
